Inner Beauty
by Fuu Hououji1
Summary: Fuu has a major crush on Ferio, a boy at her school. After talking to the school’s official prep, she believes that she has no chance with him. Confiding in Hikaru and Umi, she gets a one-word idea: makeover!


Inner Beauty  
  
Rated: PG for romance and suggestive behavior  
  
Key:  
  
". . ." - speaking  
  
'. . .' - thinking  
  
Disclaimer: MKR is © CLAMP and 'Everywhere' is © Michelle Branch, but Inner Beauty is © FuuHououji  
  
A/N: Ok peeps. Here's the deal. A/U, One-shot, F/F story. Are we happy now? Hmm? Good! Alrighty, so here we go! Oh, and I just used the Japanese word for 'prince' for Ferio's last name. Heh heh heh.  
  
Summary: Fuu has a major crush on Ferio, a boy at her school. After talking to the school's official prep, she believes that she has no chance with him. Confiding in Hikaru and Umi, she gets a one-word idea: makeover!  
  
Fuu's School, Math Class ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Fuu sighed. She was in math class and completely bored. She subtlety turned her head to gaze at the boy on the other side of the room. He was staring into space with a glazed look on his face. Green hair framed his tanned face, showing off the scars on his nose and cheek. His gorgeous amber eyes were half closed, and with his face cupped in one hand, he was the definition of cute.  
  
Fuu turned back to the sensei. She had had a crush on Ferio Ouji ever since he transferred to their school in third grade. She could still remember how cocky he acted. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who noticed him. Nekomi-san had had her eye on him lately, and Fuu knew that she wasn't one to compare with Nekomi. Fuu looked in the other direction and aimed a glare at her mortal enemy, who - not surprisingly, what with the way the sensei went on - looked like she was asleep.  
  
Just then the bell rang, and the sensei was forced to yell over the sound of stampeding high schoolers, "And you have questions thirty to forty-eight for homework! You are dismissed!"  
  
After politely bowing to her sensei, Fuu weaved her way through the crowd to the main entrance. She was supposed to meet Hikaru and Umi at the park outside Tokyo Tower. She had just made it to the school doors when she was grabbed by the shoulder and spun around. After her initial shock, she regained her composure.  
  
"Why, to what do I owe the pleasure, Nekomi-san?"  
  
The taller girl raised a single eyebrow above her perfect violet eyes and tossed her black hair over her shoulder. "Hououji, we need to . . . talk."  
  
Fuu hesitated before replying. From that tone of voice, their little chat was not going to be pleasant.  
  
"I'd love to, but my friends are waiting for me."  
  
"Oh, I do believe that you're going to come with me." Nekomi shoved Fuu from the now-deserted hallway into an empty classroom.  
  
Fuu replied under her breath, "Well, if you insist, then by all means let's get this damn party started."  
  
"What was that Hououji? I think you're in no position to argue." Nekomi slapped her across the face. "Look, it's about Ouji-Sempai. I've been watching you, I do believe that you have a crush on him." She sneered. "Hououji, against me, you don't have a chance. So why not save yourself a broken heart and get over it. Or you may get more than a broken heart, if you get my hint. I get what I want, and I want him. Got it?"  
  
Fuu nodded. As Nekomi left, she slumped against the wall and sat on the floor. Gingerly touching her cheek, she let a single tear fall. What hurt even more than the slap was waking up to reality. Fuu slowly rose and made her way to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror.  
  
She wasn't exactly pretty. Hell, what was she thinking. She was maybe, possibly, a little good looking. That's if you looked at her the right way. Her big green eyes flooded with tears. She delicately wiped her eyes and fixed her flowing blonde hair before stepping out into the sunlight. Little did she know that someone was watching her.  
  
Outside Tokyo Tower~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Darn it. Umi, where is she?" The small redhead bounced up and down, trying to find her friend.  
  
"Don't worry Hikaru, I'm sure Fuu's okay. She can take care of herself." The tall, blue-haired girl reassured her companion. She then muttered under her breath, "But I am getting a little worried about her . . ."  
  
"FUU-CHAN!"  
  
Umi Ryuzakki looked up just in time to see her two best friends collide. Actually, Hikaru had just pounced on Fuu.  
  
"Hikaru! Get off of her!"  
  
Hikaru Shidou looked at Fuu apologetically. "I'm sorry Fuu-chan. I get a little carried away sometimes."  
  
Fuu laughed. "Little is an understatement."  
  
Umi frowned, looking at her Fuu as she sat down with her on the bench beneath their tree. It was a beautiful day, but something was bothering Fuu. She could tell.  
  
"Fuu? What's wrong?"  
  
Fuu looked up at Umi's query. Umi looked so concerned, and she knew she could tell her best friends . . . but could she?  
  
Hikaru peered at her friend's face. "Have you been crying, Fuu?"  
  
From the way Fuu started, Hikaru could tell that she was right. Everyone may think that she was naïve, but she knew what was going on. Looking at Umi, she could tell that they were both thinking the same thing.  
  
Umi began, gently. "Fuu, you know that you can tell us anything, right?"  
  
Fuu nodded.  
  
Hikaru took up the questioning. "We know there's something wrong, Fuu. You can keep it all inside, but don't you want to tell us?"  
  
Fuu took a deep shuddering breath and whispered his name. "Ferio."  
  
Umi smiled. "So, Fuu, you've got a crush. What's the problem with that?"  
  
Blinking away the gathering tears, Fuu told her friends the entire story; from her crush to Nekomi's threat. By the time she was finished, both her friends were furious.  
  
"How DARE she threaten our friend!"  
  
"And why does she think the world revolves around her?! She isn't the center of the universe! Anything could happen!"  
  
"Please, Umi-san, Hikaru-san . . . "  
  
"Geez, Fuu. For the zillionth time, my name is Umi."  
  
"And mine's Hikaru."  
  
"Hikaru, Umi, please listen to me."  
  
Fuu's voice had such a pleading tone, her friends stopped dead in their rants. They listened and absorbed her next comment.  
  
"She's right."  
  
Then the truly big explosion took place: Umi.  
  
"WHAT?! How can you say that Fuu! You're a truly wonderful person, and if a boy doesn't like you than it's his loss! I betcha that with a little help you could . . ." Umi froze.  
  
Hikaru repeated her last words. "A little help."  
  
Fuu sweatdropped as her friends began to rub their hands together evilly. "Uh, guys?"  
  
Then Umi screamed a single word: "MAKEOVER!"  
  
Later ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Approximately two hours later, Fuu stared at her reflection in the mirror.  
  
"Oh, Fuu, you look so pretty!" That was Hikaru.  
  
"Fuu, you look HOT." And Umi.  
  
Fuu turned back to the mirror, sure that the girl she saw there wasn't her. That girl was drop-dead gorgeous. Her blonde highlighted hair was flat at the top and slightly curly and spiked at the tips. Pearly green fingernails and toenails showed off her slender members. Her eyebrows were perfectly symmetrical, and she had light green eye shadow over a white base. Black- looking dark green mascara adorned her eyelashes, which were full and thick. No glasses covered her eyes, instead she had contacts, which showed off her pale green eyeliner. Light pink blush and darker pink lipstick finished her makeup.  
  
The girl's outfit was a low-cut, floaty, silky green top, which bared her shoulders. She had a black miniskirt on and her long, slender legs were sporting sandals with five-inch heels. She carried a black purse with a green floral design. A cut green hat topped off the outfit.  
  
"This . . . there's no way . . . it's not me."  
  
"But it IS you, Fuu. And you're coming with us to the club tonight."  
  
Fuu gasped. "WHAT?!"  
  
Hikaru giggled. "Well, you DO want to see Ferio, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, but - "  
  
"No buts Fuu. You're going."  
  
Fuu sighed and gave in to her friend's evil whim. "Okay."  
  
"YES!"  
  
That evening, at Paradise Hotel ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ferio sighed. Man, for a club, this place sure was boring. Yeah, there were drinks and music and hot girls, but really. Everyone else was out on the floor dancing, and he was sitting here waiting for the right person to walk into his life.  
  
Suddenly his attention was drawn to the door, as a faint breeze and the sounds of the city street heralded the arrival of someone. It was a group of three girls, around his age. The first girl was short and cute with red hair, and was obviously VERY hyper at the moment (little did he know that she's always like that!). As she spoke to the second girl, a tall, blue- haired beauty, they both broke into hysterical fits of giggles. Ferio raised an eyebrow and passed over them, his roving eye stopping dead when he saw the third girl.  
  
She was gorgeous. With her long, slim figure and beautiful features, she reminded him of a girl whom he had had on his mind for months. He inwardly sighed. He couldn't come close to her standards. Turning his attention back to the girl in the club, he wondered if he could get to know her.  
  
Fuu glanced toward where he was sitting. He was looking in her direction, in fact . . . at her? She blushed slightly, and feeling bolder in her new personality, began to walk over to him.  
  
He continued to watch her as she made her way in his direction. Suddenly, she stopped as a new song came on. As he watched, her eyes widened and she broke into a dazzling smile as she stepped on to the dance floor.  
  
Turn it inside out so I can see  
  
The part of you that's drifting over me  
  
And when I wake you're never there  
  
But when I sleep you're everywhere  
  
You're everywhere  
  
Slowly, Ferio stood up to join her on the dance floor. Just then, Nekomi approached him and tried to flirt. Completely ignoring her showy attempts to attract him, Ferio focused on the beauty just ahead of him.  
  
Just tell me how I got this far  
  
Just tell me why you're here and who you are  
  
'Cause every time I look  
  
You're never there  
  
And every time I sleep  
  
You're always there  
  
Fuu danced, moving her body in ways she never knew she could to the rhythm of her favorite song. Unaware of the lustful stares she was getting from just about all the guys in the room, she opened her bright green eyes and saw him coming towards her.  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
I'm not alone  
  
Making his way next to her, Ferio accidentally-on-purpose bumped into her. Fuu smiled and moved so she was dancing next to him.  
  
I recognize the way you make me feel  
  
It's hard to think that  
  
You might not be real  
  
I sense it now, the water's getting deep  
  
I try to wash the pain away from me  
  
Away from me  
  
Slowly they moved their bodies closer and closer until they were touching while dancing. Fuu looked up at him, and he smiled flirtatiously. She blushed.  
  
'Damn, she's cute.' 'He's so HOT . . . '  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
I'm not alone  
  
Slowly, Ferio started running his hands up and down her back. He stopped at her waist and pulled her even closer as she twined her arms around his neck.  
  
And when I touch your hand  
  
It's then I understand  
  
The beauty that's within  
  
It's now that we begin  
  
You always light my way  
  
I hope there never comes a day  
  
No matter where I go  
  
I always feel you so  
  
Fuu shivered as he started to run his fingers through her hair. She turned up her face and met his eyes. She knew what was coming and she wanted it so badly.  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I catch my breath  
  
It's you I breathe  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
They lips met in a hot, sweet kiss. Each was trying to fulfill the passion growing in their stomach. They pulled each other closer, deepening the kiss, adding their tongues to it. As his lips traversed her neck, she let out a soft moan and dipped her head, catching his mouth with hers again. Then she pulled away.  
  
Ferio looked down to see the girl who had kissed him with such a fiery passion looking at him with tear filled eyes. Swiftly, she kissed him once more and whispered in his ear. He stood, shocked as she fled out the door. He could only repeat her last phrase.  
  
"Sayonara."  
  
You're in everyone I see  
  
So tell me  
  
Do you see me?  
  
At Fuu's House ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Fuu cried softly into her pillow. After she had run away, she had hopped a taxi home. It was so hard to explain. She had gotten what she wanted, but not really. For the second time that day, she gazed into the mirror. No longer was she that beautiful girl of earlier. Now she was only herself. Fuu.  
  
She sat bolt upright as she heard someone outside her window calling her name. She knew without looking who it was. Slowly, she stood and walked to the window.  
  
Ferio watched as she opened the window and leaned out. He spoke a single word.  
  
"Konichiwa."  
  
Fuu gasped. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. She managed to squeak out a stuttered, "How?"  
  
He leered at her. "C'mon out and you'll see." He watched her pull away from the window and waited a few minutes for her to come down.  
  
When she finally did, she walked slowly, unaware of his true intent. He half smiled. She was so cute. She came over to him and at last lifted her head. Once again, he saw tears in her eyes.  
  
"I got your address from your friends."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I bet you're wondering why I'm here."  
  
Fuu shook her head. "No, I need to explain. Ferio, I like you. Shit. I love you, Ferio. But I thought you'd never even take a second glance at me. So Umi gave me a makeover and we went to the club. But during the dance, our dance, I realized that I didn't want you to finally see me like that. I mean, I want you to love me for who I am, not what I look like. I saw the way those guys in there were looking at me, and I don't want affection like that. I want pure, true love. And if you don't like me this way, than so be it." She looked at him imploringly. "So, what're you going to do? Tell the school and make me the laughingstock of the town?"  
  
Ferio smirked. "No. I'm going to do this." And with that, he swept her up in his arms and kissed her. Fuu's eyes opened wide in shock, but she soon gave in and kissed back.  
  
When their lips finally parted, she gazed at him so lovingly, he thought his heart would break. Ferio laughed.  
  
"Oh, Fuu. I fell in love with you months ago, when I caught you looking at me in class. Your eyes . . . oh shit, I'm ranting. But I heard you talking to you friends and I thought I could never meet your standards. You were out of reach to me. Boy, was I wrong. And I didn't kiss you at the club because of the way you looked. I've always admired your . . . your . . . "  
  
He kissed her again.  
  
"Your inner beauty."  
  
~*~ THE END ~*~  
  
A/N: YAY! That's my first major-fluffy, one-shot fic, so it might be really crappy. Oh well. If it IS that bad, would you review and tell me how to make better ones? PLEASE? Argh. It's like 7 and I still need to do my math homework. (Algebra word problems. Ick.) So goodbye for now! REVIEW!  
  
-FuuHououji 


End file.
